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Netanyahu’s vision of an independent Arab Palestinian State is a whole lot different than that of Mahmud Abbas, Hamas and the rest of the Arabs

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Netanyahu’s vision of an independent Arab Palestinian State is a whole lot different than that of Mahmud Abbas, Hamas and the rest of the Arabs
Read More About: The efficacy of such an arrangement hinges on having a “watertight” agreement. But there is no such thing as a “watertight” agreement

This week (namely after President Trump’s inauguration) Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reiterated that his goal is a sovereign Palestinian state that is demilitarized and within which Israel retains security control.
Mr. Netanyahu terms this a “state minus”.

This isn’t a new concept. Prime Minister Netanyahu has been talking about it for several years, citing the post World War II deployment of troops in sovereign Germany and Japan as a precedent for the Palestinians to accept such an arrangement in a sovereign Palestinian state.

The efficacy of such an arrangement hinges on having a “watertight” agreement. But there is no such thing as a “watertight” agreement. History is fraught with “watertight” programs that failed. And in our case, unfortunately, even a mediocre Palestinian leadership could come up with a scenario that would free them of the “indignity” of demilitarization and the “violation of its sovereignty” by the IDF.

And let’s face it: we Israelis have a miserable track record dealing with substantive violations of agreements by our neighbors.

At this very moment Hamas is openly producing missiles and other weapons in gross violation of signed agreements that were witnessed by the USA, Russia
and others.
Our response? “Quiet for quiet”. (That is as stupid as don’t ask, don’t tell)

Hamas can make any and all battle preparations as long as it doesn’t shoot.

Dear Reader: There are many well meaning experts out there who paper over this fundamental problem by saying that their policy analysis and recommendations are predicated on there being “appropriate security arrangements.”

But no such arrangements can exist.

Once there is a sovereign Palestinian state it will remain a sovereign Palestinian state even after it bars the IDF and openly arms itself with prohibited weapons.

“Autonomy on steroids” as Minister Bennett put it?

Absolutely. But not sovereignty.

In a few short weeks Prime Minister Netanyahu will be meeting with President Trump where he intends to lay out his “state-minus” solution.